Results 3,021-3,040 of 9,362 for speaker:Hildegarde Naughton

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: National Car Test (16 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: As the operation of the National Car Testing Service is the statutory responsibility of the Road Safety Authority, I have referred that part of the Deputy's question relating to the publishing of performance metrics to the RSA for direct reply. I would ask the Deputy to contact my office if a response has not been received within ten days. With respect to the Deputy's question regarding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (16 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Under legislation, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is the statutory body responsible for the operation of the national driving test. As the matter raised by the Deputy is an operational issue for the RSA, it would not be appropriate for me to comment.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Proposed Legislation (16 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I can confirm to the Deputy that all required amendments to the Roads Traffic and Roads Bill 2021 have been completed, and I understand that a date for Committee Stage will shortly be announced.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Dublin Airport Authority (16 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 181 together. The daa has statutory responsibility for the management and operation of Dublin Airport. As the issue raised is an operational matter for daa, I have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Insurance Coverage (15 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Established in 1955, the Motor Insurance Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) is a non-profit-making organisation registered in Ireland. All insurance companies underwriting motor insurance in this country must, by law, be members of MIBI and contribute to the funding of claims in proportion to their market share. The principal role of MIBI is to compensate innocent victims of accidents caused by...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Haulage Industry (15 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The European and Global oil markets are currently volatile, due to the conflict in Ukraine exacerbating pre-existing market shortages, primarily of diesel. This has caused a spike in the price of crude and in the price of refined products on the retail market. On 15 March 2022, Minister Ryan and I proposed to Government an emergency support measure – the Licensed Haulage Emergency...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Dublin Airport Authority (15 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: The daa has statutory responsibility to operate and manage Dublin Airport.  As the issue raised is an operational matter for the daa, I have forwarded your question to the company for direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a reply within ten working days, please advise my Private Office.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: In the context of the 370 staff, the DAA has told me that they should be deployed by mid-July and that, at that point, it should have security staffing levels equivalent to 2019. Again, I want to reassure Deputies of my engagement and that of the Minister with the management and with the chair of the DAA in this regard. It is about increasing security staffing in particular at the airport...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputies. As I said in response to a previous question, what happened on 31 May at Dublin Airport was completely unacceptable and fell well below the standards expected. We have engaged in our weekly meetings on this. The DAA has put in place a plan and presented it to the Joint Committee on Transport and Communications. It is critical that the DAA, which has statutory...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I was very clear on the role of the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The terms and conditions of the VSS were approved by both Ministers. On staffing levels, the take-up under the VSS is completely a matter for the DAA. It runs the airport. It is looking at projections for passenger numbers. It is predicted that the return to the levels of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I agree with the Deputy on ensuring we have a functioning airport. It is not just about people getting their flights, although that is an absolute because it is the key service, it is also about staffing. It is about ensuring that the infrastructure is in good repair. It is about a whole range of issues that the DAA is well equipped to deal with, given that it knows both its role and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the Deputies. It is clear from their contributions that we need to take a wider holistic approach to this. We are doing an awful lot in respect of public transport and active travel. There was a question today, for which the Deputy was not present, about electric vehicle charging points and the roll-out of charging infrastructure. It is very clear that a large part of reducing...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: Electric vehicles play a central role in COP 21 with a target of 175,000 EVs on our roads by 2025 and 945,000 EVs on the road by 2030. There are currently more than 58,000 EVs registered on Irish roads. That is since the end of April 2022. By 2030, the abatement impact for an additional 845,000 passenger EVs is estimated to be about 2.5 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This figure...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Dublin Airport Authority (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 71, 76 and 89 together. The DAA introduced a voluntary severance scheme, VSS, during the summer of 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 crisis as part of the cost-cutting measures deemed necessary to secure the continued viability of the company. This was at a time when the DAA was losing €1 million per day, passenger traffic was substantially...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank Deputies for their comments on this. It is clear that we need to look at ways to encourage more people to use public transport. That is an aim and objective of Government. We will look at the NTA's research on it. We can all see the positives anecdotally before even seeing that research. This will be broadened to include commercial operators as quickly as possible. The NTA is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Costs (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I will raise the expansion of these services with the Minister. He is also looking at the matter. This all comes down to budgetary constraints. The youth travel card has been extended to commercial bus operators. There are currently no plans relating to the 20% PSO.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Transport Policy (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 91 together. My Department is currently focused on delivering a number of existing measures in our climate action plan, sustainable mobility policy and road safety strategy, none of which propose the introduction of a curb on new vehicle sales on the basis of a vehicle's size. However, our existing approach to the taxation of motor vehicles through...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: I thank the two Deputies for their comments, which I will relay to the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. The BusConnects network redesign for the entire bus network in Dublin, as overseen by the NTA, is being rolled out in 11 phases. It began in 2021 with the launch of the first two phases: the H spine from Howth or Malahide to the city centre in June, and the C spine in November. Phase 3,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Bus Services (14 Jun 2022)

Hildegarde Naughton: This communication with commuters who are trying to travel to work does not sound in any way acceptable. I will certainly raise this with the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, who I am sure will raise it with the NTA.